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(11) | EP 1 539 595 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
CONTAINER PATCH AND METHOD OF FORMATION ABDECKSTREIFEN FÜR BEHÄLTER UND VERFAHREN ZUR HERSTELLUNG PASTILLE DE CONTENANT ET PROCEDE DE FORMATION |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a gable-top or other beverage container with a post forming applied straw patch or cover. The patch or cover is a weldable, frangible barrier material for the gable straw opening. Also disclosed is an inventive process for producing the frangible material, as well as a unique application for applying the cover to the gable straw opening.
[0002] Previous methods for producing a straw opening have been based on applying webs or types of barrier material to webs of a package substrate. In limited cases where a local patch has been applied, the patch has been a two or more part system where removal of a top cover or other manipulation was required to expose and precondition the straw opening so that it could be pierced. A patch with the features defined in the preamble of present claim 1 is known from JP 07 040 982.
[0003] In addition, local patch applications in current practice require much higher penetration forces than extrusion over void manufacturing methods.
[0004] The gable-top strawhole has to be visible, provide an oxygen barrier, and be puncturable by a straw with comparable force to an aseptic juice package.
[0005] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a patch or cover for a strawhole opening in a gable-top container top that has a similar appearance to an opening in an aseptic container.
[0006] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a patch or cover for a strawhole opening in a gable-top container that provides an oxygen barrier and is puncturable by a straw with comparable force to an aseptic juice container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A patch or cover for a strawhole for a gable-top container, or the like, including a piece of frangible barrier film applied to a carton after bottom formation. The frangible film is welded on the inside of the carton, with the welding energy being applied from the outside (ultrasonic or induction) and travels through the paper laminate to produce a thermoplastic sea. The patch is applied by a small application component which holds the patch for welding and can be used for small cartons.
The subject-matter of the invention is defined by claim 1.
Further advantages are achieved by the embodiments indicated by the dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gable-top container having a patch embodying the present invention;
[0009] Figure 2 is a view of an inside of a top panel of a gable top carton having a patch welded thereon; and
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A finished package, such as a gable top container 10, is provided with a die cut strawhole 12 covered by an internal patch 14 circumadjacent to the strawhole on the product contact side 16 of the container 10.
[0012] The patch 14 is composed of a barrier film 26, an aluminum foil stiffener layer 24, and a thermoplastic seal layer 22 which is compatible with low density polyethylene seals. The layers 30 the patch material are extrusion laminated together to provide resistance to delamination when in contact with beverages. The patch material is puncturable with a 6 mm-2.54 cm diameter drinking straw made of 1 mil of polyolefin with a puncture force of less than 4 pounds.
[0013] The patch applicator means includes a tape metering device, a cut to length mechanism, a vacuum equipped mandrel for insertion of the patch into the carton, and a welding energy source located outside of the package. By applying the patch after the carton bottom is formed, the possibility of damage through contact with a filling machine is minimized.
[0014] The following is a representative barrier structure set forth in tabular form from inside (product contact) to seal layer 22.
| Layer | Material | Thickness |
| Barrier film | LDPE/EVOH/LDPE | .001 inches |
| Tie layer | Nucrel® | 4 lbs/3,000 sf |
| Foil layer | Aluminum Foil | - |
| Tie layer | Nucrel® | 4 lbs/3,000 sf |
| Sear layer | EVA | 4 lbs/3,000 sf |
| LDPE = low density polyethylene EVOH = ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer EVA = ethylene vinyl acetate |
[0015] The welded or sealed area or seal layer can cover the complete patch or only a thin perimeter of the patch material in contact with the inside layer of the carton.
[0016] Numerous patch material structures can be used including those which are pigmented in a variety of colors or metallic. The shape of the patch can vary and may include round, square, triangular, and the like as desired. Likewise, the shape of the opening in the gable top can vary.
[0017] A "twist-cap" can be applied over the patch to allow for opening and pouring of the beverage instead of a straw.
[0019] The patch and/or the carton wall can have different barrier properties. (The carton wall need not have an aluminum foil barrier, but the externally visible patch can.)
[0020] Through use of an ultrasonic filament welder, it is possible to apply small patches of thin material to the area of interest. These patches are comparable to aseptic brick openings in appearance and function. However, no additional components need to be applied to the patch area to allow functioning of a straw. Because the welding energy is transmitted through the carton instead of through the patch, it is possible to use more dedicated membranes for the patch than in a typical two piece application which applies heat through the patch.
a laminate frangible material layer welded to an underside of a gable-top carton panel; the laminate frangible material layer comprising a barrier layer, a foil layer and a thermoplastic seal layer, characterized in that said laminate frangible material layer is puncturable with a 6 mm-2.54 cm diameter drinking straw made of 0.0254 mm (1mil) of polyolefin with a puncture force of less than 1.81 kg (4 pounds)
welding a patch comprising a laminate frangible material layer comprising a barrier layer, a foil layer and a thermoplastic seal layer to the underside of the gable-top carton panel by welding with a device contained on an outside of the carton, characterized in that said laminate frangible material layer is puncturable with a 6 mm-2.54 cm diameter drinking straw made of 0.0254 mm (1mil) of polyolefin with a puncture force of less than 1.81 kg (4 pounds).
i) a tape metering device to produce a desire amount of patch;
ii) a cut to length mechanism for cutting the patch into a desired shape;
iii) a vacuum equipped mandrel for insertion of the patch into the opening in the carton; and
iv) a welding energy source located outside of the carton, characterized in that said laminate frangible material layer is puncturable with a 6 mm-2.54 cm diameter drinking straw made of 0.0254 mm (1mil) of polyolefin with a puncture force of less than 1.81 kg (4 pounds)
eine zerbrechliche Laminatmaterialschicht, geschweißt auf eine Unterseite einer Giebelspitzenkarton-Platte, wobei die zerbrechliche Laminatmaterialschicht umfasst eine Barrierenschicht, eine Folienschicht und
eine thermoplastische. Siegelschicht, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die zerbrechliche Laminatmaterialschicht durchstechbar ist mit einem Trinkstrohhalm eines 6 mm - 2,54 cm Durchmessers, erzeugt aus 0,0254 mm (1 mil) Polyolefin mit einer Durchstechkraft von weniger als 1,81 kg (4 Pfund).
Schweißen eines Abdeckstreifens, umfassend eine zerbrechliche
Laminatmaterialschicht, umfassend eine Barrierenschicht, eine Folienschicht und eine thermoplastische Siegelschicht, auf die Unterseite der Giebelspitzenkarton-Platte durch Schweißen mit einer auf einer Außenseite des Kartons enthaltenen Vorrichtung, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die zerbrechliche Laminatmaterialschicht durchstechbar ist mit einem Trinkstrohhalm eines 6 mm - 2,54 cm Durchmessers, erzeugt aus 0,0254 mm (1 mil) Polyolefin mit einer Durchstechkraft von weniger als 1,81 kg (4 Pfund).
i) eine Bandbemessungsvorrichtung, um eine erwünschte Menge des Abdeckstreifens zu erzeugen;
ii) einen In-Länge-Schneidemechanismus zum Schneiden des Abdeckstreifens in eine erwünschte Form;
iii) einen mit Vakuum ausgerüsteten Dorn zum Einsetzen des Abdeckstreifens in die Öffnung in den Karton; und
iv) eine Schweißenergiequelle, angeordnet außerhalb des Kartons, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die zerbrechliche Laminatmaterialschicht durchstechbar ist mit einem Trinkstrohhalm eines 6 mm - 2,54 cm Durchmessers, erzeugt aus 0,0254 mm (1 mil) Polyolefin mit einer Durchstechkraft von weniger als 1,81 kg (4 Pfund).
une couche de matériau stratifié frangible soudée à une face inférieure d'un panneau de contenant en carton à pignon, la couche de matériau stratifié frangible comprenant une couche barrière, une couche de feuille et une couche d'hermétisation thermoplastique, caractérisée en ce que ladite couche de matériau stratifié frangible peut être percée par une paille d'un diamètre de 6 mm à 2,54 cm réalisée dans 0,0254 mm (1 mil) de polyoléfine avec une force de perforation inférieure à 1,81 kg (4 livres).
souder une pastille comprenant une couche de matériau stratifié frangible comprenant une couche barrière, une couche de feuille et une couche d'hermétisation thermoplastique sur la face inférieure du panneau de contenant en carton à pignon en effectuant une soudure au moyen d'un dispositif situé à l'extérieur du contenant en carton, caractérisé en ce que ladite couche de matériau stratifié frangible peut être percée par une paille d'un diamètre de 6 mm à 2,54 cm réalisée dans 0,0254 mm (1 mil) de polyoléfine avec une force de perforation inférieure à 1,81 kg (4 livres).
i) un dispositif mesureur de ruban permettant de produire une quantité souhaitée de pastille ;
ii) un mécanisme de coupe à longueur permettant de découper la pastille en une forme souhaitée ;
iii) un mandrin équipé d'une source de vide permettant d'insérer la pastille dans l'ouverture du contenant en carton ; et
iv) une source d'énergie de soudure située à l'extérieur du contenant en carton, caractérisé en ce que ladite couche de matériau stratifié frangible peut être percée par une paille d'un diamètre de 6 mm à 2,54 cm réalisée dans 0,0254 mm (1 mil) de polyoléfine avec une force de perforation inférieure à 1,81 kg (4 livres).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description